Formula One magnate Bernie Ecclestone admits finding the opening day of his German trial stressful as he faced bribery charges which threaten to land the British billionaire in jail.

“It was an exhausting first day. The judge, the prosecutors and my lawyers all speak German, I don’t,” Ecclestone told German daily Bild from his London office after his first court date in Munich on Thursday.

“Although I had an interpreter translating every word simultaneously, it was still stressful to follow everything as it was being said.” Ecclestone flew back to Britain after hearing

five hours of opening arguments with the prosecution’s indictment covering 24 pages, while the defence’s statement was 91 pages long.

But despite the marathon hearing, the octogenarian still managed to banter with judge Peter Noll. “Why not?”, Ecclestone told Bild.

“The court and the prosecutors are all nice people just trying to do their jobs.” The Briton’s next court date is scheduled for May 2.

The 83-year-old is accused of paying German banker Gerhard Gribkowsky $44 million (32 million euros) to ensure his continued grip on the motor sports empire he had built up over four decades.

The cash changed hands eight years ago when a German corporate bankruptcy had left several banks in charge of major stakes of the Formula One enterprise.

Gribkowsky was then risk manager of one of the banks, Germany’s BayernLB. Prosecutors charge that the money was a bribe meant to ensure that BayernLB sold its shares to Ecclestone’s preferred bidder,

CVC Capital Partners of Britain, now the sport’s majority shareholder. Ecclestone faces a maximum jail term of 10 years if he is found guilty. The case centres on whether Ecclestone bribed Gribkowsky,

who has since been jailed, or — as the defence claims — hush money after a blackmail attempt. Ecclestone’s lawyer has dismissed the allegations as “inaccurate, misleading and unsubstantiated

” and said “the alleged bribery did not take place”. The F1 boss does not intend to speak for now in the trial, which is set to run until September, but has said he will reply when Gribkowsky

gives evidence against him, which is scheduled for May 9.

Now you decide is he a thief? I think he became one at one point,but regardless of what we think, is time for him to go.

To many politics, to much money, to many bad decision in F1.

This is a great sport that is becoming a farce.

Drivers open their mouth to say Stupid things, like Hamilton, Rosberg, Button and a few others.My advise to them is: Take care of your self and stop talking about others that are way better then you.

Well yes, Mercedes Benz again, always a reason why they can’t win, if somebody comes with something better, they take the easy way out, judge by your self’s. Below are the comments from Mercedes Benz, are they for real?

Mercedes have revealed that they could have pulled out of F1, had it not been for the new engine regulations.

Professor Dr Thomas Weber told BBC sport “The key challenge for the future is fuel economy and efficiency and with the change in regulations F1 is the spearhead for development.”

“We had at different times the challenge to discuss F1 with the (Daimler) supervisory board. We had hard discussions. And it was always – and even more so when it came to the later years – harder to explain why we were using naturally aspirated engines.”

“Now with these new regulations I can clearly convince the supervisory board that the (F1 team) are doing exactly what we need – downsizing, direct injection, lightweight construction, fuel efficiency on the highest possible level, new technologies and combining a combustion engine with an e-motor hybrid.”

And what about BMW, they claim they are the driver’s car, but could never make anything work in an F1, so how can they claim they are the driver’s car, please do not make me laugh. If you, yes you “BMW” make that statement, then show us in the top racing sport which is F1, but you failed and left with your tail between your legs. “Shame on you”

McLaren’s turn, need more excuses? You lost for 4 years in a row, they have a chance to do something, but they worry about making statements, and yes trying to make things difficult for others, I taught this is the way out for the weak ones.

McLaren, Red Bull in legal dispute over aero expert

LONDON – McLaren consulted their lawyers on Wednesday after Formula One champions Red Bull announced the appointment of an aerodynamics expert their rivals said was contracted to them.

Red Bull said Dan Fallows has been appointed head of aerodynamics, replacing McLaren-bound Peter Prodromou who is now on ‘gardening leave’.

The statement drew a swift response from McLaren, who announced at their car launch in January that Fallows had joined along with Prodromou. “Dan Fallows has a legally binding contract with McLaren, and the matter is now in the hands of our lawyers,” said a spokesman for the Working team.

Red Bull said Fallows had left them last year after working as aerodynamics team leader but had returned and was starting his new job with immediate effect.

McLaren announced last October that Prodromou would be joining them but Red Bull, constructors’ champions for the past four years, were determined to hold the much sought-after Briton to his contract.

They did not say when his leave would formally end.

Prodromou was McLaren’s head of aerodynamics until 2006, having joined that team in 1991, when he followed Adrian Newey to Red Bull.

McLaren have changed their leadership since Fallows agreed to join, with Ron Dennis retaking overall control and Eric Boullier appointed racing director in place of departed Principal Martin Whitmarsh.

The team started the season with a second and third place in Australia for Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button, pending an appeal by Red Bull who had Australian Daniel Ricciardo disqualified.

Red Bull have won the last four constructors’ and drivers’ championships, with Sebastian Vettel triumphant in the last nine races of 2013, but have started the season chasing dominant Mercedes.

Almost all Drivers today, if they do not win they always have a reason, but it’s never them. Particularly, Nico Rosberg, Luis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. Why don’t you stop talking about Vettel, and worry about you and your machinery, would it be that you are not good enough? Could it be that they cannot set up the car properly? It makes you look ignorant.

Right now Mercedes Benz has the most powerful engine on F1, take advantage and see if you can win the championship. Renault is not born yesterday, they know how to build engines and they have a huge record doing so.

Well F1 season is now once more upon us, and rules are still changing the rules everyday, Why, not sure, comments made to save some money, but is it the case, I don’t think so.

Making all teams change Engines, Cars, set ups, Technology, cost more money, then why do this >

I have been following F1 since I was 6 years old, my father use to take me worldwide to see the races, I saw, Servos Gavin, JP Beltoise, Pedro Rodriguez, and many others race all Over the world.

But the 2014 cars are the ugliest ducklings I have ever seen. Not only they are ugly they are slow, yes slow….

How Ugly you ask, Look below!

Now, what is happening to F1> I know that they are loosing viewers worldwide, this sport as become a money driven capital venture by Eclestone.

F1 Purist like me, will like to say to him and the federation what we think, Et oui Jean Todd, je suis Français, et je te dit arrête tes bêtises.

Hybrid his OK< but restricting the fuel is ridiculous, this is racing, not well lets see who wins tweaking the rules? a race car drive is there to drive and win, if you car does not work is not the fault of the team that can make it work. Maybe they should work harder. The you have Drivers that make idiotic comments that Vettel wins because is car, well I can say you all worn, because if that was the case then Webber should have finish second every race as well, so maybe you should think you are not as good as you are and take responsibility and you know who you are.

Ohh Yes and Ugly below

In any case, this is what I believe, so lets see who is the brave one for 2014, because you will need to wake up early to beat Vettel, why, because he knows how to set up is car, he does not waste time taking trash about others, in one word is a real driver, don’t be jealous, learn and beat him fairly. And stop this nonsense of triple points and Limiting the gas, don’t be losers! Let them race, that is the reason they are F1 Drivers.